A Few Adjustments
by osmandias
Summary: Sometimes even the greatest pieces of work need a few changes to make them that much better. Oneshot.


"You know, when you said you needed help I was thinking along the lines of moving lab desks, maybe a cabinet. Not," Xigbar waved a hand towards the bound and printed manual sitting innocently atop the white table, "doing somethin' like this."

Lips contorting in a mockery of spite, Vexen's face remained otherwise impassive. "Does some pressing engagement demand your immediate attention, Xigbar? What other things would be occupying your precious time?" A few vivid images came to mind to the scholar. All of them involved Xigbar and his poorly conceived notions of pranking, ranging from making the glassware defy gravity to 'hunting' in the Dark City. It was never the one-eyed man that received the short end of the deal for these pastimes.

"What would I do with my time?" Pulling out a chair, metal screeching across the polished floor, Xigbar spun it about on its back legs. Straddling the seat and leaning forwards against the metal backing, the gunslinger made a derisive sound. "Besides a game of cards and drinking some Tortuga rum? Oh no. Reading this monster of a book is the highlight of my day, Vexen."

Refusing to acknowledge the sarcastic tone Xigbar used, or failing to note it, Vexen looked to the massive tome. "What I do is more important than what you make of your time -- this is for science. In front of you is my thesis, the fruit of my labours generated from the research of Kingdom Hearts. I require another informed opinion to look this piece over before its final presentation." Catching himself before speaking the words 'another like-minded individual' Vexen became conscious of how little that phrase accurately represented Xigbar. "Now," his tone fell to an artic chill, "get to work."

Turning his back on II, Vexen returned to his latest experimentation. Larxene had returned from one of her off world jaunts with a bottle of pixies, giving the vicious creatures to Vexen after she'd grown bored of them. Thoughtful for such a selfish girl; Vexen used them as fodder for his conductivity research. Absorbed in his work, Vexen forgot Xigbar's presence in his laboratory. Silence descended, broken infrequently when Xigbar cleared his throat or a pixie exploded into vicious cursing at the scientist. Intuitively noting the passage of time, between disassembling the equipment used and corking the pixies back into their bottles, Vexen returned to see how far Xigbar had progressed.

"Are you finished?" He hovered over the sharpshooter. Xigbar had never liked that facet of Vexen's personality.

"Yeah." Somehow II managed to drawl out that single word.

"And?"

"I made a few adjustments." Xigbar handed the bulky manuscript to the expectant Nobody. Vexen smirked inwardly, laughing at the fact that these 'adjustments' were just trifling observations, nothing that would impact upon the magnificence of his theory. Xigbar would have been blind to overlook the impeccable opening thesis, to find no fault in the immense body of work, and the carefully worded conclusion.

Quickly leafing through to find these changes, the burning inquisitiveness in Vexen's eyes dimmed. None of the cream-white pages contained any modifications. "Xigbar, you failed to write out or highlight any of these 'improvements' and…" Then Vexen saw what 'adjustments' really meant, seen on the bottom right-hand corner of a page.

On every page.

"You drew pictures on each corner!" Gloved hands trembled. The symmetry of the pages had been ruined.

Ruined by Xigbar's _brainless_ stickmen drawings.

"If you flip through it really fast like this," the Freeshooter grabbed the enormous volume and demonstrated, "you can see Xemnas humping Kingdom Hearts. That's what the real research is all about!"

Aghast was the most appropriate word to use, if emotions could be applied to Nobodies. Nevertheless it was the expression that Vexen impersonated as Xigbar waggled his fingers at IV, swaggering out the door. Against ripping out each individual corner, marring his work further, or reprinting the whole thesis, a plunging sensation grew in Vexen's gut as he examined the horrid renderings.

Each illustration, from start to finish, had been drawn with a pen. A red pen. Which stood out sharply against the paper. Of Xemnas committing the act with Kingdom Hearts.

And as IV recalled, he had permitted Xemnas to read his thesis before the day was out; the Superior wasn't one to forget.

Held in their thick glass jars, the pixies still managed to hear the shriek.


End file.
